Converting external lights to led
02-28-2011, 05:20 PM
#1
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: levittown, pa
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Converting external lights to led Just got a couple in now and will be purchasing the much more expensive ones this week.
These LED's are from superbrightleds.com.
The first set of pictures show the conversion from stock rear side marker light to LED. I got the WLED-xHPS (5 led) red bulbs. They are quite bright.
Stock:
New:
This set shows stock bulbs to 921-x12 12LED red bulbs.
Stock:
New:
The light output from the 12led setup is not as bright as i had hoped. I'm not sure if the look is that bad yet, but if it doesn't grow on me i'll be trying out something more high output.
Since this was just a test to see how things looked i only have these two types of bulbs right now. I plan on switching out all the bulbs in the rear lights by next week and hopefully move on into the interior and daytime running and blinkers up front.
These LED's are from superbrightleds.com.
The first set of pictures show the conversion from stock rear side marker light to LED. I got the WLED-xHPS (5 led) red bulbs. They are quite bright.
Stock:
New:
This set shows stock bulbs to 921-x12 12LED red bulbs.
Stock:
New:
The light output from the 12led setup is not as bright as i had hoped. I'm not sure if the look is that bad yet, but if it doesn't grow on me i'll be trying out something more high output.
Since this was just a test to see how things looked i only have these two types of bulbs right now. I plan on switching out all the bulbs in the rear lights by next week and hopefully move on into the interior and daytime running and blinkers up front.
03-01-2011, 01:39 AM
#3
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: levittown, pa
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
the 12LED are all forward facing. So that's why you see two circles instead of a good full fill. Within the circles you dont see any individual LED "hotspots".
The side marker LED's dont have nearly the level of "hot spot" (these are the xhp5) but if you get up on them they show a little since the light fixture is so shallow.
I think if i had to buy it again, I would have gotten 9LED xhp's rather than these 12LED bulbs. I went with the conversion table and didn't realize that the base of the third brake light is exactly the same as the base to the regular small 194 bulbs. 2 xhp9 red LED's would probably turn out much nicer.
the xhp5 red LED's are _plenty_ bright for side marker and rear side lights.
So for the 921 third brake lights just get 194 xhp9 red LED. Go with xhp5 red everywhere else 194's are used behind red lenses.
The main brake and turn signal lights are different and much more expensive. Those are coming next.
The side marker LED's dont have nearly the level of "hot spot" (these are the xhp5) but if you get up on them they show a little since the light fixture is so shallow.
I think if i had to buy it again, I would have gotten 9LED xhp's rather than these 12LED bulbs. I went with the conversion table and didn't realize that the base of the third brake light is exactly the same as the base to the regular small 194 bulbs. 2 xhp9 red LED's would probably turn out much nicer.
the xhp5 red LED's are _plenty_ bright for side marker and rear side lights.
So for the 921 third brake lights just get 194 xhp9 red LED. Go with xhp5 red everywhere else 194's are used behind red lenses.
The main brake and turn signal lights are different and much more expensive. Those are coming next.
03-16-2011, 08:48 PM
#4
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: levittown, pa
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Ok, here are the brake lights.
Regular (apparently my brake engaged part of the bulb wasn't working)
LED (brake not engaged)
LED (Brake engaged)
Bulb used : 3157-x18-T: 18HP-LED 16mm Wedge Base 3157 Tower Bulb| (red)
Was going to have the DRL's done but got wrong bulb. Making a new post about that.
Regular (apparently my brake engaged part of the bulb wasn't working)
LED (brake not engaged)
LED (Brake engaged)
Bulb used : 3157-x18-T: 18HP-LED 16mm Wedge Base 3157 Tower Bulb| (red)
Was going to have the DRL's done but got wrong bulb. Making a new post about that.
03-16-2011, 09:26 PM
#5
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: levittown, pa
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Scratch a new topic.. I'll just post the bulb types I've found in use in my 2001 Z28.
Daytime running light is a 3056. Superbrightled.com has warnings not to use their bulbs as DRL's so i'm awaiting an email from them as to why.
Brake lights (non-3rd) are 3157.
Side marker (in rear fixture) is 194. (you can go with a small 5LED or larger 9, i went with 9)
Side marker (actual side) is 194. Go with the 5led one,
Turn signal (rear) is 3056.
Reverse light is 3056.
Turn signal (front) is 194 (again, go with the 9led)
Fog light is H11.
Third brake light is 194 (go with the 5led, i think these are brighter than the 12led 921 )
Daytime running light is a 3056. Superbrightled.com has warnings not to use their bulbs as DRL's so i'm awaiting an email from them as to why.
Brake lights (non-3rd) are 3157.
Side marker (in rear fixture) is 194. (you can go with a small 5LED or larger 9, i went with 9)
Side marker (actual side) is 194. Go with the 5led one,
Turn signal (rear) is 3056.
Reverse light is 3056.
Turn signal (front) is 194 (again, go with the 9led)
Fog light is H11.
Third brake light is 194 (go with the 5led, i think these are brighter than the 12led 921 )
03-16-2011, 11:31 PM
#7
Make your own but use the Piranah superflux leds.. those bitches are bad ***. they are the flatter square ones with 4 prongs. They will require an inline resistor but that is too easy. Ive made my own before and they work well.
Oh, and the plug and play bulbs like he's talking about are just that.. PNP.. they are SMDs and are soldered onto the board with everything needed for a 12v source...
Oh, and the plug and play bulbs like he's talking about are just that.. PNP.. they are SMDs and are soldered onto the board with everything needed for a 12v source...
Trending Topics
03-18-2011, 07:05 AM
#8
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: levittown, pa
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Got a response from superbrightleds.com about the DRL warnings on their bulbs. Apparently they say that GM uses a pulsed voltage on their DRL's.
Since i can't think of any reason why GM would use a pulsed voltage for 12v (maybe they would do a pwm on something requiring much higher voltage on some other car's DRL's) I'm gonna just go ahead and buy the bulbs anyway.
I'm going to respond to them and ask some clarification. Perhaps they think DRL's are in the regular headlight housing and so are dimmed high beam lamps (like some cars do). I'm almost positive that the DRL's in a 2001 camaro (the yellow fixture under the headlights) are just plain old 3056 and 194 bulbs running on 12v. Also in the camaro the DRL's are also the front blinkers.
Since i can't think of any reason why GM would use a pulsed voltage for 12v (maybe they would do a pwm on something requiring much higher voltage on some other car's DRL's) I'm gonna just go ahead and buy the bulbs anyway.
I'm going to respond to them and ask some clarification. Perhaps they think DRL's are in the regular headlight housing and so are dimmed high beam lamps (like some cars do). I'm almost positive that the DRL's in a 2001 camaro (the yellow fixture under the headlights) are just plain old 3056 and 194 bulbs running on 12v. Also in the camaro the DRL's are also the front blinkers.
03-18-2011, 08:57 AM
#9
TECH Enthusiast
iTrader: (19)
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Western Mass
Posts: 566
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
What about the 3rd brake light? Are you going with the fogs? I feel like they might not be very bright.
Good info though! Keep us updated
EDIT: I dont see a 3056 bulb on their site
Good info though! Keep us updated
EDIT: I dont see a 3056 bulb on their site
03-18-2011, 11:45 AM
#10
On The Tree
Thread Starter
iTrader: (1)
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: levittown, pa
Posts: 177
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
3156 then. whatever. The cross check chart will show it. Basically it's the same as the 3157 but only has 1 setting (not 2 like the brake light). You could use a 3157 i believe, it wont hurt anything. I think all of mine are all 3157 bulbs regardless if they need the bright/dim feature. I just figured i'd suggest the type that would be _correct_.
3rd brake light is doable with 194 base bulb. I describe which ones to try above. The ones i got were the type that the bulb chart suggested and they aren't as bright as the 194's i got for my side markers
I'm not sure if i'll do the fogs. I never use them. Even in crazy thick fog i've never had an instance where fog lights helped visibility at all. And I've driven across the country in _all_ kinds of weather and up mountains through clouds and never once have i needed to turn the fogs on. Though, my night vision isn't bad and I pretty much never use high beams either.
I'm pretty convinced the warnings about DRL bulbs have to do with daytime running lights that use the high beams at a fraction of their normal power. They should be perfectly fine in our Fbody's since we have completely independent daytime running lights that share functionality as blinkers. No PWM is used to reduce current or voltage to them.
3rd brake light is doable with 194 base bulb. I describe which ones to try above. The ones i got were the type that the bulb chart suggested and they aren't as bright as the 194's i got for my side markers
I'm not sure if i'll do the fogs. I never use them. Even in crazy thick fog i've never had an instance where fog lights helped visibility at all. And I've driven across the country in _all_ kinds of weather and up mountains through clouds and never once have i needed to turn the fogs on. Though, my night vision isn't bad and I pretty much never use high beams either.
I'm pretty convinced the warnings about DRL bulbs have to do with daytime running lights that use the high beams at a fraction of their normal power. They should be perfectly fine in our Fbody's since we have completely independent daytime running lights that share functionality as blinkers. No PWM is used to reduce current or voltage to them.
